Insomniac

What He Left Behind

As the party started to die down, Thomas thanked every person for coming that began to leave. One by one each person required his undivided attention while in the background, Charlie leaned against the bar counter clutching her breath. 

Each one was sharp and filled with discomfort. She had felt it when she picked his family up from the air port, she had felt it when they were hiding in the dark for the surprise, and she was more than feeling it right now. Her body had begun to crash, again. 

Closing her eyes, she shook her head and sucked down the sick feeling. "Charlie?" Will's voice suddenly called from behind her. 

Immediately she perked up and faced them. "Yeah?"

"You okay?" He asked motioning towards her posture. 

Upon response, she bit her lip and nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine." Looking around the room quickly she searched for his family. "I just don't feel very good." 

"I can tell. You want to go back to the apartments?" 

"No, no. I'm okay." 

"You look like you're dying charlie." He chuckled, but it didn't earn a response but her. The only reaction from her that he fully got was a flush of the skin and a cold sweat. Before he knew it, she was slightly stumbling backwards and into the counter behind her. "That's it, you're going home. Sit down, I'll be right back." As he set her down on the chair, Charlie's bones ached deeper and deeper. 

Will had walked off somewhere, where to? She had no idea. 

"Hey Charlie." Ava's voice called to her left. She tried her best to look normal, no need to raise suspicion. 

"Hey Ava. Did you have a good time?" 

"Yes! We all did, thank you for doing this my dear." His mother kindly smiled. 

"Not a problem. Seriously. I was happy to do it." 

"Are you okay love?" His dad asked looking deeply towards her. "You don't look very well."

"Just tired I think." Her hand slightly waved him off.  

"Yeah, that's why I'm here." Thomas's voice suddenly cut through the crowd. Instantly, Charlie sent both him and Will a disappointed look. "Thanks Mum, Thanks dad, you're still a dork Ava." he ruffled her hair. "Thank you for coming, it means a lot. We can go out to break fest or something tomorrow before your flight leaves?" 

"Of course son." His dad nodded. 

"No. You're staying here with them." Charlie grabbed the counter and stood upwards pulling her keys from her pocket. 

"No. I'm taking you home." He looked sternly at her. 

"But you-" 

"We are going to head back to the hotel, it's nearly two sweet heart." her mother smiled. "We aren't young anymore, except for Ava here."

"Yeah well, I got jet leg anyway. And If our flight leaves in the morning, I'm going to need my sleep and coffee." 

"And I'll make sure to bring it." Thomas smiled towards his sister. 

After, all three hugged and said their goodbyes, then surprisingly did the same for Charlie. After, everyone was heading their separate ways. 

Charlie and Thomas walked in sync towards her jeep. "You should be staying with your family." 

"You heard it yourself Charlie, they are going to bed anyway. I was lucky enough to see them for tonight, honestly I can't thank you enough for this."